The immediate effect of cervical spine adjustments on movement time of the upper limb in athletes

• Main Author: Van Rensburg, Janine
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: Arm - Movements; Muscles - Motility; Chiropractic; Spinal adjustment; Sports - Physiological aspects; Athletes - Health and hygiene
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/14109

M.Tech. (Chiropractic) === Purpose: Movement time is the time it takes an individual to perform an actual task. A faster and better movement can be invaluable in athletes using their upper limb. This study aims to see the immediate effect of a chiropractic adjustment on the segments innervating the upper limb, 05 to Ti spinal levels, to movement time in the upper limb, in athletes. Method: This study was a comparative study and consisted of two groups of fifteen. The participants were between the ages of eighteen and thirty five, with a half male to female ratio. The potential participants were examined and accepted according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The method of treatment administered to each participant was determined by group allocation. Group 1 received chiropractic adjustments to the segments innervating upper limb (C5-T1). Group 2 was the control group and did not receive treatment, only a rest period of ten minutes was given in between tests. Objective data findings were based on the above treatment protocols. Procedure: Treatment consisted of six treatment consultations with an additional follow up consultation over a three week period, with two consultations being performed per week interval. Objective data readings were taken at the beginning of the first, fourth and seventh consultations. Objective data was collected by the tapping task test and the movement time evaluator program. Analysis of collected data was performed by a statistician. The chiropractic adjustments used were based on restrictions identified during motion palpation and were applied on all the consultations. Results: Clinically significant results were found in group i, the treatment group. Showing a decrease in overall movement time, especially between visit i and visit 4, but also between visit 4 and visit 7. Group 2, the control group, showed a decrease in movement time before and after visit i, but this was only due to learning effect of performing the test for the second time. No statistical significance was found between visit 1 and visit 4 or visit 4 and visit 7.